Ten-Men Morecambe Lose Again

Morecambe faced Plymouth Argyle at the Globe on Good Friday having already lost to them last October and with a poor record against the Devon team. Whoever arranged a fixture between a club at the other end of England on a Bank Holiday weekend needs their head examined and it was no surprise that the appalling traffic between the West Country and north Lancashire meant that the match had to be delayed for half an hour so that Pilgrims` fans could see it. Not that the long journey seemed to have a negative impact on the visiting footballers though. Facing reserve goalkeeper Keiran O`Hara following Barry Roche`s sending-off at Orient last week, Argyle could have won the game in the first ten minutes when a combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing by Jamille Matte in particular kept the game goalless despite three excellent chances. But Plymouth were not to be denied for long. On just fourteen minutes, Reuben Reid set-up Jordan Houghton for a shot from outside the penalty area which beat O`Hara low down to his right. Although the Pilgrims continued to be the better, more threatening side, they didn`t have things all their own way until what was arguably the decisive action of the game arrived just before half time. Alex Kenyon made a sliding tackle on Carl McHugh and seemed to win the ball. The Plymouth players surrounded referee David Webb, however and clearly persuaded him that the challenge was reckless and merited a straight red card. Mr Webb duly obliged.

Against ten men, the visitors soon drew even further ahead: within two minutes of the re-start, Jake Jervis slung over a cross and Matte made up for his earlier misses by volleying the ball into the top corner of the net. From that time on, with Kevin Ellison and new loanee Blackpool midfielder Connor Oliver on as substitutes, the Shrimps played better than they had at any time during the first half. They also gave a first start to Cole Stockton, the forward they signed for a month initially from Tranmere a week ago. But although Ellison had a shot which was pushed onto the bar by controversial Pilgrims` goalkeeper Luke McCormick, the Shrimps couldn`t make the breakthrough needed to prevent the visitors going home with maximum points against them this season.

The loss left Morecambe in eighteenth position in League Two. The win meant that Derek Adams` promotion-chasing team remain in third position in the table.